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Monday, May 5, 2014

What's New at Chez Sluggy?

Just some Random Stuff going on around here......

* I just added up the credit card expensed from our road trip to Louisiana and I am not happy.
$2985.58 on the card.
Bleh.
Between that and having just finished our Net Worth Statement for MAY I am not a happy camper right now. Retirement Funds were up only $4,500 from March(last month these were up $11,500) and the cash funds were down $2,100....plus now a big chunk of our liquid money is tied up in a Personal Loan to our daughter.
I am feeling rather poorer right now.

* After almost 2 months of looking for a new part time job, #2 Son found one!
Guess where he is working?

If you guessed the new local bakery that opened up recently in teeny tiny town, you are correct!

#2 Son had quit his demanding restaurant kitchen job back in February. Not only was it a hostile work environment but he was working basically fulltime hours around his school and activities schedule and since he was a kid they were not paying him commensurate with his duties and work.
And he had college auditions coming up to prepare for so he gave his notice in late January.

I figured at this point in the year no one around here would hire him when they found out he'd be leaving to go away to college in August.
why spent the time and energy(not to mention the money!)to train someone who will leave in less than 4 months.

But someone DID hire him!
And he is loving the people and the work. And it seems they are loving him since they have him working the doughnut filling station and the register and have put him on the schedule for weekend mornings(their busy times).

While he is enjoying a better work environment I am not enjoying that he bring bags, BAGS I SAY!, of pastries, doughnuts and bread home every day he works til closing time.
I guess the 50% off rack at Weis and the Bread Outlet will see a lot less(if not any)of my money any longer.

All I can say about the photo above is......Must Resist Eating This!......
8-)

And the restaurant where he was taken advantage of?
Here's what happened to it March 17th......

If you knew what went on in that kitchen, you'd never have wanted to eat there again......I'm just sayin'......

* Wednesday night was a last for us.
The last High School Band/Chorus Concert we ever need to attend(outside of any for grandchildren, some day).
And I am OVERJOYED!
Not that I don't love going to see my kids perform.....but I am so sick and tired of the ignorant, uncivilized behavior of the audience members.
Ok, the fellow students and siblings of the kids performing I can understand--they are young and haven't learned you don't get up in the middle of a concert while a number is being performed to walk the aisles, you don't talk through the entire number and you don't play on your PHONE during it!

But what GETS ME are the PARENTS of these kids who do all this!!! When their kid is not performing, they chat, bring coffees into the auditorium and slurp it, text on their phones and I have to listen to phone sounds and they get up during numbers and go back and forth to their seats.
Its. Maddening!!!

I thought for sure Hubs was going to get into a knife fight Wednesday when he turned around and yelled at the assholes sitting behind us.
Gawd, these people here are so ignorant....but I am sure it's in all parts of the country.

The teachers use to tell the audience(parents)not to leave after their student performs....this was common a few years ago, as a kid finished their bit, they and their parents and friends would leave and by the time the Jazz Band(which was always last to perform)went on, the only folks in the audience were family and friends of those performers.

I sure wish these asshole parents would go back to leaving after their kids were done. At least the rest of us behaved audience members would get to ENJOY the last few numbers of the evening. 8-(

I got #2 Son's last high school band performances on film, albeit shaky film. lol

* On the medical front.......

I received a package in the mail earlier this week with a small plastic piece, a prepaid padded envelope and instructions on how to remove the modem from my Bi-PAP machine from my current DME supplier.
Ok.....

The only problem is, they picked up the Bi-PAP April 10th, as I returned it to them since I have one already. And the modem was attached to aforementioned Bi-PAP that no longer lives here.
So what exactly do they want me to return?!? lolz

So I had to call them and tell them all this, at which point the CS agent made a "note" in my file.
A rep from the DME company called me back and said to just pitch the small plastic piece(it's a cover to plug up the hole in the Bi-PAP(that isn't here)and ignore the instructions.
Well yah......nothing here to return so darn right I'm ignoring the instructions.

Then I called the Dr. in Pittsburgh that is billing my son for 2 visits and tests he had done the end of December.
His work-sponsored insurance didn't kick in until Jan. 1st of this year so he had no medical insurance last December, as he was no longer on our family plan.

I called them to get some kind of "uninsured patient" discount on these bills since it has to be covered totally out of pocket and my son has limited funds and can't really afford this now.

Well the DICKHEADS at Premier Medical Associates PC out of Pittsburgh PA "don't do that" I was told twice before I hung up on them.
If you have financial hardship you have to apply to Medicaid and send them a copy of the determination that Medicaid sends you back on your case.
Hey, I don't want to get the government involved in this, I just want to help my kid pay his bill.

Oh, they will set up a payment plan for you....for the full amount.
I have always asked for and gotten a discount for paying cash when I had work done that wasn't covered by our insurance.

I ask, is it fair that folks with medical insurance get a discount(as the medical suppliers give the insurance companies a discounted rate for services, which it turn means the insured pay less)and those without coverage pay the full freight?!
I think not.

The woman on the phone was NOT helpful in the least and I told her, "I guess you people don't want to get paid, do you?", to which she had no reply.

I think I will send them $5 a month until it's paid off. Better yet, maybe I'll send it in cash....$5 worth of pennies via Priority mail each month.
I know that will cost me far more than he owes but did I mention that Premier Medical Associates PC are DICKHEADS yet?!?

Oh you DO NOT want to get on a post-menopausal women's bad side.......

* I spent a good part of the weekend reorganizing my fabric hoarded stash inventory. I pulled some things to donate since they don't seem to be "salesworthy"
and started getting ALL of it listed or relisted on Etsy(except for the Fall/Winter fabrics).
If you are in need of nice vintage fabrics for your sewing needs, be sure and stop by my store on Etsy "Slugmama's". There is a link on the right sidebar.

And I STILL don't get this "favoriting" thing they have over on that site.
I really don't CARE if you "Like" one of my fabrics.
I just care if you BUY the blasted stuff! lolzWTF?!.....shaking my head......

Not quite done but I do have 104 listings on Etsy up as of right now.

* I have a wild hair up my ass about my kitchen lately.
I have always detested it.....hated the layout(so bad!).....hated the cabinets(cheap and so boring).....hated the tile backsplash color(so dated).
I got rid of the duck wallpaper(ewww!)years ago and painted the walls. I am tired of those walls now too. I also replaced the sink, countertops, even the cabinet hardware and the appliances over time.
The only thing we haven't replaced is the backsplash and the cabinets.

I can repaint the walls but that still doesn't fix the layout and the old fake oak cabinets.
I am thinking drastic measures need to be taken.

We are moving and selling this house in approx. 4 years. We will NOT get top dollar with this kitchen.
So I am considering a major gut of the kitchen.
Remove Everything, change the layout and start from scratch.
Maybe keep the floor because that is tile(which we also had redone)and the only thing I like in this kitchen.
Redo and update the kitchen soon so I at least get a new kitchen for a few years before we move and sell this place seems like a good thing to do rather than wait 3 years and just redo it all to sell.

What do y'all think about this idea?
And if anyone has remodeled their kitchen, tell me how much it cost in the end please.
I am scared of getting started with this and getting carried away and spending way more than I feel comfortable with. 8-0

* Now that the Band Concert and the Prom are over with for this year, we are down to 3 more Events and we can put High School in our rearview mirror forever!
We have the French National Honor Society in 2 weeks, Class/Awards Night early June and Graduation on June 13th(yes Friday the 13th LOL).
Then I get my "survived High School" parenting badge and we just have 1 more to get through College and our days of Active Parenting are DONE!
Woohoo!
And then it's on to the next phase of life here at Chez Sluggy.......

10 comments:

Just don't have a surprise baby this late in life. I would kill myself!

Redo the kitchen; gut it. YOU need something you like instead of fixing it to sell. Duck wallpaper? groan

This is no indication of your costs, but a complete redo, appliances, cabinets and removal of flooring, moving water and electric in my kitchen cost me almost $5K in 1977. These cabinets are beautiful still. I cabinetmaker could not believe they were over 30 years old when he saw them. I may be the only person who likes them and others just lie to me...lol. Oh, we took out two kitchen windows and replaced them, also. With the $5K we borrowed, we put carpet in two bedrooms, den and hall and linoleum in two bathrooms.

Was that Damenti's or demented or Damien? My grandson worked at a deli for a few weeks last summer. They knew he had to visit colleges and spend a week where he is going for some sort of training. They let him go to school during the summer for various things and took him back when he could work.

Even children should not wander during any performance, but if the parents are rude, how will kids ever learn. My son thought he could do as he pleased at dance recitals for my daughter. I threatened to take him out of baseball if he did not settle down during recitals and not make our lives miserable before we went and during the recitals. His sisters could play and talk during a baseball game, so he was upset he had no freedom at dance recitals. grrrr The worst that people did 35+ years ago was just leave during a number, whether it was musical or dance related. Of course, there were no cell phones.

Kitchens and bathrooms sell a home. A sound investment. Do your homework, pick good yet not necessarily top of the line, materials and it should be fine. Any big box hardware centers near you? they have design centers.HTH

Wow! That is one jam packed post of stuff going on Miss Sluggy! So glad your son found a better job and the pastries surely are a sweet perk! If you feel strongly about the kitchen I would redo it now. We spent 7 thousand on our front stoop/steps/walkway/new front door and we think that sold the house. We got to enjoy it for a few months before we put the house up for sale. The main thing to consider is that you shouldn't improve beyond what your neighbors have. If granite counters are in the houses in your area, then you prob want to go with that. If not, there are other alternatives that look nice and don't cost as much. Talk to a realtor and see what people are looking for in kitchens these days. Is stainless steel still popular? Or is white making a comeback? Whatever you do, do not put up wallpaper. Keep everything as neutral as possible. That's my two cents. :-P

That was an expensive trip to LA. Wow again. Love that new job for #2. It is too bad the place burned down, though. And you don't want to know what happens in ANY restaurant kitchen, been in too many, wished I hadn't been. Medical bills suck. I had to go to the ER w/o insurance. Fortunately, they committed malpractice so I got the bill cut to the price of the medication! Yeah, redo the kitchen. I hear you get about 80-85% back when you sell. Never 100%. No idea how "they" calculate that (saw it on the Internet, so it has to be true, right?). Have fun with the renov!

I feel you. At one point my younger sister was working at Dunking Donuts... I was mad every time I went to the house, because there were boxes and bags of donuts, sweets and muffins... problem? My dad cant have sugar! GRR! It made me mad she didnt think how bothersome that was for him to have all that sugar and not be able to eat it. I'd go in and throw the darn things away. (I know, shame on me for wasting food, but on my defense, they never keep anything in the fridge or sealed, so they get stale FAST).

And that sounds like a nightmare dealing with those medical people... I guess they figure, if you have SOME means, they can squeeze as much as they can from you, and if you cant, they can rebill it somewhere... what a mess.

I love me a donut, I mean really love them, Also I agree with the rude people at concerts, drives me crazy. I would not remodel a kitchen if I knew I was moving in 4 years I don't think you will recoup the costs.

As a gift to my sister for her 30th birthday, I hired the team at Classic Kitchen and Bath to remodel her kitchen… you know... give it that modern look we see on HGTV. I learned about them from a buddy of mine in Clarendon Hills, IL. These guys did an exceptional job... from design through execution. They not only have great service but their products are high quality. Check them out today www.myclassickitchenandbath.com or visit their amazing showroom in Westmont, IL. I highly recommend them to everyone considering a new kitchen and/or bathroom.

I did a MAJOR remodel on my kitchen in 2000. The bid was $40,000 with a 6 week turn around. Ended up costing $80,000 and took 6 months! I had to cook in our travel trailer and the BBQ...by the end of the remodel my husband and I were no longer speaking to each other...but I've got one of the most gorgeous gourmet kitchens in California!

I don't think it is my place to tell people what to do but REPLACE THE LIQUOR FUND BEFORE DOING ANYTHING! That is way more important that an emergency fund. LOLA kitchen gut isn't fun but oh so worth it! I just love getting caught up on sluggy's world.

Hey there! Thanks for leaving a comment. Though I moderate it's partly to keep spam out but also partly so that I read every comment. I don't often respond to comments so if you need me to answer you please write me at my email addy posted on my "About Me" page, linked on the side bar.

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About Me

Welcome to my blog! I'm just an older mom, simple gal living my life as best I can. I enjoy saving money, talking frugality, couponing, compacting, personal finance, genealogy, about the South, art, theater and sewing, interspersed with my humorous take on the world and my daily adventures.
You can email me directly at arcure(at)ptdprolog(dot)net.